And then I wrote...

by Dick Schilling, Editor Emeritus

... that you would think Rachel and I were good friends, or ought to be, because she keeps calling me. Frequency is about once a week. She has a pleasant voice, and seems to care about my situation. But therein lies the problem with our contacts. Because Rachel wants to help me with my credit card problems. Thing is, I have not had a credit card for about 35 years!
I could never become friends with another frequent caller, because his command of English is such that I can’t understand much of what he is saying. But I think he is offering to clear up my problems with my online computer usage. Again, that’s funny because I have not been online for over a dozen years.
The lady with the acerbic, threatening voice could never become my friend, because she is threatening me with severe repercussions unless I allow her to address my income tax problem with the Internal Revenue Service. My CPA didn’t indicate any problem, and besides, the IRS doesn’t work that way. Or at least did not, although with this national administration, that may not be a safe assumption any longer.
My point is, whatever happened to that “don’t call” list?
But then, I also resent the fact that hearing aid companies assume that since I an in my 80s, I have a hearing problem. I get lots of mail from them. I hear very well. Perhaps more than I should. My senses of taste and smell are also excellent, and touch is good, too, except when I sleep on an arm too long. I do wear glasses, but only to see with. My driver’s license is unrestricted.

Speaking of hearing, I heard a couple of stories recently which indicate that people often don’t hear correctly what is intended.
One was about an agent for a company that offers a cleaning service. He said he told a lady they would not only clean her rugs, but her ducts as well. She said she didn’t have any ducks.
And the little girl who was having a conversation with her Dad about how cute squirrels were. She said they were told in school about how squirrels harvest nuts, and how they use their tails for balance. But she said she also read that squirrels can catch rabbits. Her Dad said he doubted that, but she insisted, and said she would bring the paper home. She did, and the word was rabies, not rabbits.
I noticed Sunday evening that the squirrels and blackbirds are waging their usual spring battles. That happens when those “cute” squirrels raid the birds’ nest to eat their eggs. Do they teach kids that? And in addition to fancy performances of orcas at sea world parks, do they teach children those orcas in the wild form wolf-like packs to corner and kill seals?
Nature has a rough side, too.